Fence-post



' No Model.)

A. W. SMITH.

FENCE POST. No. 575,073. Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

,mmw "A fence-wires b.

UNITED STATES AUSTIN W. SMITH, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

NA'ICI-IEZ, MISSISSIPPI.

FENCE-Pos1.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,073, dated January 12, 189'?.

Serial No. 587,173. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, AUSTIN W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Natchez, in the county of Adams and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and vuseful improvements in fence-posts.

The invention has for its object the production of a simple and inexpensive fencepost which can readily and easily be secured in position and which when positioned will comprise many advantages in point of durability and general efliciency.

A further object is to produce a simple and efficient clamp whereby the fence-wires may be quickly and firmly secured to said post.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a view in perspective illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the clamp. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof.

- Referring to the drawings, A designates a tubular post, preferably made of metal, and provided at its lower end, near the ground surface, with a cylindrical jacket a, which is secured to the exterior of said post and adapted to form a supplemental base therefor. A suitable cap, such as a', may be placed over the upper end of said post.

B designates the securing-clamp for the This clamp consistsof a single piece of spring-wire b bent into approximate W shape, the same being provided with a central bowed portion b' and diver-gin g arms b2, which are bent in opposite directions to form hook ends b3. In practice one of said clamps is used for each fence-wire, they being passed through coincident slots C, formed at opposite points in theperiphery of post A, the arms b2 of said clamp binding firmly against the sides of said slots. The fencewire is passed under the hooked ends b3 and through the bowed portion b and is rmly held because of said hook ends binding thereagainst under the action of their spring connection with said bowed portion.

that I have produced a simple and efficient wire-clamp which can be readily and quickly applied and which is not liable to pull out under the ordinary strains to which wire fences are subjected. It will also be specially observed that the jacket on the lower end of the fence-post aids in giving additional stiffness thereto. It will be further noted that while I have shown and described the peculiar form of wire-clamp illustrated in Fig. 3, yet it is obvious that an ordinary U -shaped wire staple may be used in lieu thereof withdeparting from the spirit of my invention, the ends of such staple being bent back against the periphery of the fence-post after having been passed through the slots therein.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a fence-post having a series of opposite coincident slots therein, of a series of wire-clamps of approximately W shape fitting in said slots and having diverging spring-arms bearing against the sides of said slots, said spring-arms being adapted to engage and support the fence-wires, as set forth.

2. The combination with a fence-post having a series of opposite coincident slots therein, of a series of wire-clamps of approximately W shape fitting in said slots and having spring-arms bearing against the sides of said slots, and hooks formed on the ends of said spring-arms and adapted to engage and support the fence-wires, as set forth.

3. The combination with a fence-post having a series of opposite coincident slots therein, of a series of wire-clamps having a central bowed portion, and diverging spring-arms bent counter to and approximately parallel with said central bowed portion and engaging the sides of said slots, said spring-arms being adapted to engage and support the fence-wires, substantially as set forth.

fi. The combination with afence-post having a series of opposite coincident slots therein, of a series of wire-clamps having central bowed portions, and diverging spring-arms bent counter to and approximately parallel with said central bowed portion, and bearing against the sides of said slots, said spring- ICO arms having hook ends adapted to engage and ends bent in opposite directions to form hooks ro support the fence-Wires, substantially as set forth.

5. The hereilrdeserihed clamp for feneewires, composed of :t single piecey of spring- Wire having L central bowed or looped portion, and dverging firms extending from said central portion and bent counter to and pal'- nillel with the latter, said arms having their adapted to engage und support said fencewires, substantially as set forth,

In testimony whereof I have ztixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUSTIN W. SMITH. NVitnesses:

R. J. METCALFE, W. P. BIRLAND.

Correction m 4'It is hereby eertied that in Letters follows: In line 67, page 1, the

Fence-Posts, an error appears in Word. with on the application of Austin W. Smith, of Natchez, Mississippi, for an improvement the printed speoicationrrequiring correction as should read without; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the saine mayoonform to the record of the eas Signed, eountersigned,

[SEAL] Countersigned:

e in the latent Ooe.

and sealed this 16th day of February, A. D. 1897.

JNO. M. REYNOLDS, Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

Patent No. 575,073, granted January 12, 1897, Y. 

